A New Look!

Earlier this year, I found myself getting very bored with my blog design. Which left me feeling very unmotivated to write my outstanding book reviews and tackle other blogging tasks. I had a vision on how I wanted my blog to look, but unfortunately did not have a clue on how to make it happen.

Enter Staci at Blogging Bella Designs! I've always loved the new designs she created for other bloggers. I sent her an email explaining how I vision the header, the color theme (orange had to be one of the color as it's my favorite) and to include my two adorable reading buddies: my cats. She immediately responded to my email and I knew she just "got" me. I quickly completed her questionnaire to secure my spot in line and the rest, as they say, is history.

It amazes me how Staci was able to pull together my new blog design based on numerous email chains and a questionnaire. Didn't she do a FANTASTIC job?! She also created a new Twitter page for me.

If you are looking for a new blog design, I highly recommend Blogging Bella Designs. You will not be disappointed!

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. (Button courtesy of Bewitched Bookworms.)

Here's what I'm looking forward to:

Title: Joy for Beginners
Author: Erica Bauermeister
Release Date: June 9

From the author's website:
A group of seven women gather for an outdoor candlelit dinner in Seattle to celebrate their friend Kate’s recovery from cancer. Wineglass in hand, Kate makes a pact with them: to start her new lease on life, she’ll overcome her fears and go white-water rafting down the Grand Canyon. But if she goes, each of them must also do one thing in the next year that is new or difficult or scary – and Kate gets to choose their challenges.

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. (Button courtesy of Bewitched Bookworms.)

Here's what I'm looking forward to:

Title: Skinny
Author: Diana Spechler
Release Date: April 26

From B&N.com:

After her father’s death, twenty-six-year-old Gray Lachmann finds herself compulsively eating. Desperate to stop bingeing, she abandons her life in New York City for a job at a southern weight-loss camp. There, caught among the warring egos of her devious co-counselor, Sheena; the self-aggrandizing camp director, Lewis; his attractive assistant, Bennett; and a throng of combative teenage campers, she is confronted by a captivating mystery: her teenage half-sister, Eden, whom Gray never knew existed. Now, while unraveling her father’s lies, Gray must tackle her own self-deceptions and take control of her body and her life.

Visceral, poignant, and often wickedly funny, Skinny illuminates a young woman’s struggle to make sense of the link between hunger and emotion, and to make peace with her demons, her body, and herself.

Read-a-Thon: Mid-Event Survey

1. What are you reading right now?
I just finished reading The Bird House by Kelly Simmons. I haven't decided what to read next.

2. How many books have you read so far?
One

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
All in my TBR stack look good. I really don't have a favorite or "must read" book. Although other titles are coming to mind that are on my shelf that aren't included in the stack. So I'm not sure what I'll end up reading!

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
I had appointments this morning that I would not cancel. The rest of the day has been free.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
I did find myself getting sleepy very early and took a nap. I wasn't expecting to get tired so soon.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
Due to my late start (I began reading at noon), it has taken me awhile to really get into reading. I've been somewhat unmotivated and at times really dragging. I feel a bit behind and it's impacting my reading. Going into these last hours, I've decided my attitude is to remember it's not a race, enjoy myself and just have fun.

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
No, it's been running smoothly.

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
Go to bed earlier the night before, read shorter books and plan better for writing blog posts, amount of time on Twitter, visiting other blogs, etc.

9. Are you getting tired yet?
Yes, but not as tired as I felt early on.

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?
I read with my kitchen timer. I decide how long I want to read and set the timer. I also use it for breaks. This is the second time I've used my timer and it helps me stick to my reading schedule.

Read-a-thon Update

The last 3 hours started out good, but then quickly fizzled. I found myself getting very, very sleepy and ended up taking an unplanned nap. Hopefully my reading will pick up again.

Here's my progress so far:

Hours: 2pm-5pm

Time spent reading: 1 hour
Pages read: 43
Books completed: 0
Time spent blogging: 15 minutes
Mini-Challenges completed: 1
Currently reading: The Bird House by Kelly Simmons

Books read:

_____________________________
Total time spent reading: 3 hrs, 45 min
Total pages read: 121
Total books read: 0

Read-a-Thon: Quick update

I just finished my second hour of today's read-a-thon. I had a late start due to previously scheduled appointments, so I began reading at noon. I did manage to listen to my audio book while driving this morning, totaling 30 minutes of audio time.

I'm currently reading The Bird House by Kelly Simmons. It's really good so far and I'm glad it's my first book of the read-a-thon. I don't know about you, but deciding which book to start with is hard. It HAS to be just right...

Here's my progress so far:

Hours: 12pm-2pm

Time spent reading: 1 hr, 45 minutes
Pages read: 78
Books completed: 0
Time spent blogging: 15 minutes
Mini-Challenges completed: 0
Currently reading: The Bird House by Kelly Simmons

Books read:

_____________________________
Total time spent reading: 2 hrs, 15 min
Total pages read: 78
Total books read: 0

On your mark... Get set... READ!!!

At 8:00 am (my time) many readers will find themselves in their favorite spots reading. Yes, it's that time of the year again.... Dewey's 24 hour read-a-thon!

As for me, I won't be starting then. I have prior scheduled appointments this morning and hope to start reading by noon (1:00 pm at the very latest). Here's my reading pile:

• Toys - James Patterson
• Tick Tock - James Patterson
• Fall for Anything Courtney Summers
• The Book of Spells - Kate Brian
• Ominous - Kate Brian
• Tales From the Yoga Studio - Rain Mitchell
• The Bird House - Kelly Simmons
  

And on my Kindle:

• I Scream, You Scream - Wendy Lyn Watson
• Scoop to Kill - Wendy Lyn Watson
• I Heart New York - Lindsey Kelk

I also stopped by the library earlier this week to check out The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger and a few children's picture books. You know... for the wee hours when I'm just too tired to read any longer as my eyes are begging me to allow them to close. I'll reach for this stack just so I can squeeze in one or two more books before sleep wins the battle.

I'm looking forward to curling up on my couch with my cats by my side and my book (or Kindle) in my hand.

The Baby Planner - Josie Brown

The Baby Planner by Josie Brown

Review:
Katie is married to Alex. From the outside looking in, it appears they have a good marriage. And for the most part, this is true. What will make their marriage better for Katie is a baby. Unfortunately Alex doesn't feel the same. Katie is Alex's second wife. He has a son, Peter, with his ex-wife Willemina. Willemina has shut Alex out of Peter's life and as a result Alex has no desire to have any more children.

Babies are the world to Katie. On her 37th birthday, the desire to have a baby is even stronger. It doesn't help matters when she learns her younger sister is pregnant with her second child during her birthday celebration. She attempts to talk to Alex again about starting a family, but as usual he puts her off.

Then an interesting twist happens. Katie loses her job due to budget cuts and begins assisting her sister with planning for her baby. Soon Katie finds herself in a new career: the baby planner.

The Baby Planner is a quick chick lit read dealing with a serious subject matter. Katie is a likable character although the reader may not support all of her decisions. She desperately wants a baby with Alex and as a result makes emotional choices. The Baby Planner is a look into what makes a family. Recommended.

______________
Book Details:
Pub. Date: April 5, 2011
Publisher: Gallery Books (A Division of Simon & Schuster)
Pages: 337
ISBN: 978-1-4391-9712-7
Genre: Chick Lit
Source: Publisher

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher as a participant of the blog tour. Receiving a free copy did not influence my review in any way.